Jamaica Public Holidays
Discover upcoming public holiday dates for Jamaica and start planning to make the most of your time off.
Jamaica currently celebrates 10 national holidays each year. All national holidays are governed by the Public Holiday Laws of Jamaica 1895, with an amendment adding two holidays in 1963.
It should be noted that the Public Holiday Laws of Jamaica do not include Christmas Day as an official holiday in the country, however it has always been celebrated as one and acknowledged as a public holiday by the government and all employers.
The Holidays with Pay Act of 1947 guarantees all workers in Jamaica a paid day off for all nationally recognised holidays. In the event that a worker is required to work due to the nature of their job, employees are guaranteed a different paid day off in lieu of the holiday or a premium pay rate for all hours worked on the holiday. Choice in how the employee will be paid for the holiday is determined by the work contract.
All public holidays which occur on a Sunday are celebrated on the following Monday. Holidays which occur on a Saturday remain on that date. The government of Jamaica has retained the right to establish one-time holidays in the case of national emergency or special event.